ABC Wayne Brady and Witney Carson
Witney Carson has provided clarification about what happened ahead of “Michael Buble Night” on “Dancing With the Stars” season 31.
“So I thought I’d get on here while I have just a second before we start team dance rehearsals about what happened this week because I feel like a lot of it wasn’t explained in the package,” Carson shared on her Instagram Stories on October 24.
The professional dancer said she’s aware that many of her fans questioned why she was in Cancun earlier in the week. She originally told fans Brady “had a gig there” and “some things changed” while in Mexico and that everything would be explained on Monday night, leaving some fans concerned that Brady could be dropping out of the competition.
During the show on October 24, Brady and Carson explained that they were only able to start rehearsals on Friday, just three days before the live show. The duo said Brady had been ill, and when he went to the doctor, they diagnosed him with exhaustion and a stomach bug.
Carson Says The Whole Week Was ‘Crazy’ But She’s ‘So Proud’ of Her Partner
After spending two days in bed, Brady was able to get ack to the studio and rehearse. In the meantime, Carson traveled to Cancun with her husband, Carson McAllister, and their son, Leo, to meet Brady for rehearsals.
The comedian was originally scheduled for a gig in the city, but he had to cancel due to illness, so Carson and her family took the first flight back to Los Angeles after finding out Brady did not have COVID, and she headed straight to rehearsal to meet Brady.
Carson’s son was also really sick during the weekend.
“Needless to say, this was just a crazy week, but I’m so proud of Wayne and that he just stuck with it and that we showed up tonight and did the best that we possibly could,” Carson shared.
Brady Was ‘Scared’ About the Possibility of Having to Sit Out
In an interview with Us Weekly after the show, Brady opened up about feeling “upset and scared” about possibly having to sit out due to illness before he tested negative for COVID.
“This is my favorite part of this show, it places you in an uncomfortable place where you may not be used to,” Brady told Us Weekly. “I’m used to shining in everything that I do hands down, whether it’s a musical or whether I’m hosting a show.”
Carson was very proud of Brady after the performance. They were not at the top of the leaderboard like they’re used to, but they still received 8s, 9s, and 10s from the judges.
“I mean, quite honestly, no other celebrity could have done what he just did. I mean, it’s nearly impossible,” she told Us Weekly after the show. “Like, even for me as a pro, I was like, I need rehearsal for a week. You know, like, I was even stressed out. So, the fact that he was able to just get on board with it and just say, ‘OK, I’m gonna rehearse anyway. I’m gonna show up anyway.’ Just, like, [that’s] a true testament to the type of person and dancer he is.”
“Dancing With the Stars” airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Disney+.